A Cup of Joe

By Anita Ensal

When Emily smiles at David, the Chosen One, as if he’s a normal person, his sheltered existence plunges into terror and deception, forcing him to see that the world might not be as perfect as he’s always believed. If the choice is between love or perfection, which would you choose?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Gini Koch
• Release date: Nov 17, 2012
• ISBN: 9781301176380

Anita Ensal

Anita Ensal has always been intrigued by possibilities inherent in myths and legends. She likes to find both the fantastical element in the mundane and the ordinary component within the incredible. She writes in all areas of speculative fiction and has stories published at Raphael’s Village (http://www.raphaelsvillage.com), and in the anthologies The Book of Exodi from Eposic, Love and Rockets from DAW Books, and Boondocks Fantasy from DAW Books. She also writes the novelette series, The Neighborhood, for Musa Publishing. You can reach her at her website, Fantastical Fiction (http://www.ginikoch.com/aebookstore.htm).

Book preview

A Cup of Joe

The Mother Board does not eradicate, he told her sternly.

She gave him a pitying smile. Really? Then what happened to all the people who the Programmers deemed unworthy? Where did they go?

They were relocated, he told her pompously.

Relocated where, David?

He thought about this. To somewhere else, he said finally.

"Uh huh. Well, that is the party line, isn’t it? She shook her head. Look, you seem like a decent enough guy, and I must admit that you’re honestly more attractive in person, in a far more normal way, than your pictures would suggest, but I fail to understand why you’re in here, talking to me."

David didn’t have an answer. He took a sip of his drink to give himself time to come up with a reason he could articulate. The liquid was harsh and bitter, almost rancid tasting, and tasted nothing like it smelled. He grimaced in distaste without meaning to.

Not used to coffee? she smiled.

I’m having a cup of joe, he informed her haughtily.

Oh, honey, she sighed, they sure don’t let you out much do they?

Also by Gini Koch:

The Alien/Katherine Kitty Katt Series

TOUCHED BY AN ALIEN

ALIEN TANGO

ALIEN IN THE FAMILY

ALIEN PROLIFERATION

ALIEN DIPLOMACY

ALIEN VS. ALIEN

ALIEN IN THE HOUSE

ALIEN RESEARCH

ALIEN COLLECTIVE

UNIVERSAL ALIEN

ALIEN SEPARATION (coming May 2015)

ALIEN IN CHIEF (coming December 2015)

CAMP ALIEN (coming May 2016)

ALIEN NATION (coming December 2016)

ALIENS ABROAD (coming May 2017)

The Necropolis Enforcement Files Series

THE NIGHT BEAT

NIGHT MUSIC (coming February 2015)

The Martian Alliance Chronicles Series

THE ROYAL SCAM (coming 2015)

THREE CARD MONTE (coming 2015)

A BUG’S LIFE (coming 2015)

RANDOM MUSINGS FROM THE FUNNY GIRL

THE HAPPY ACRES HAUNTED HOTEL FOR ACTIVE SENIORS

Anthologies

CLOCKWORK UNIVERSE: STEAMPUNK VS. ALIENS –

A Clockwork Alien

TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY-ONE BAKER STREETS –

All The Single Ladies

UNIDENTIFIED FUNNY OBJECTS 3 – Live at the Scene

TEMPORALLY OUT OF ORDER – Alien Time Warp (coming 2015)

THE X-FILES: TRUST NO ONE – Sewers (coming 2015)

A Cup of Joe

By Gini Koch

writing as

Anita Ensal

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, incidents, and dialogues in this book are of the author’s imagination and are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

A Cup of Joe

Published by Anita Ensal at Smashwords

Copyright 2015 Jeanne Cook

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or any portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information, contact the author: [e-mail].

The scanning, uploading and distribution of this book via the internet or via other means without the express written permission of the author is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic and print editions, and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

Editors: Mary Fiore and Veronica Cook

Cover Artist: Lisa Dovichi

Second Edition

ISBN: 978-1-30117-6380

Anita Ensal

http://www.ginikoch.com

Dedication

To my husband, who really is the perfect man.

Acknowledgments

A variety of people have affected this story, all for the better. So it’s with great appreciation that I thank my agent, Cherry Weiner, my critique partner and cover artist, Lisa Dovichi, my editors, Mary Fiore and Veronica Cook, and my layout design firm, ArtichokeHead Creative, for all your efforts.

Thanks and all my love to my husband and daughter, for always encouraging me in anything and everything I want to do and for inspiring me in more ways than you probably know.

And many thanks to editor Jim Woods, who took so much time many years ago to encourage me and help me improve both this story and my writing in general. You showed me in the best ways how much a good editor can improve someone’s writing, and I will always be grateful for your generosity and encouragement.

Chapter 1

He was used to people smiling at him, of course.

He was the Chosen One for this time, after all. The Master Computer had picked him, out of all the males, to be the Father of the Next Generation. He was special and kept apart from the others, but that was how it worked for the Chosen Ones. David didn’t know, therefore, why the woman caught his eye.

There was nothing extraordinary about her – she just looked like a normally attractive woman, not too young, not too old. Shoulder-length brown hair pulled back into a simple ponytail, blue eyes, average height, average build. She was dressed like a worker, but not a high-ranking one like a Technician or an Operator. He couldn’t place her work by her clothing, though – most of the lower workers wore blue jeans and white t-shirts, many carried shoulder packs, and there was nothing unusual about hers.

He thought that it must have been because she smiled at him.

The Mother of the Next Generation was still growing up. In about a year she would be ready. He’d heard it explained that the females chosen were normally very beautiful and as young as the norms of society would allow. This was because the Master Computer had chosen attractiveness as a key trait and because the younger the female, the more eggs she would have for fertilization.

Males were required to be older, late twenties at the youngest, so that they would have matured into their bodies fully. David knew that he’d been chosen in part because he was considered one of the male ideals – tall, strong, handsome. But he was also considered intelligent and clever. At least he was told this daily by the Mother Board, the heart and soul of the Master Computer, and so he believed her.

But the woman hadn’t smiled at him as if he were a masculine ideal, nor as if he were bright and witty, nor as if he were the most important man in the world. She’d just…smiled. A normal smile, as if she was merely being pleasant to a stranger passing by.

This intrigued and bothered him and he didn’t know why. He turned to watch her walk down the street. She didn’t look back, didn’t seem in a hurry – she’d passed him as if he were no one special, only just important enough for a smile she might